From cities large and small, to farmers and manufacturers, every Kansan has a stake in water issues in the state.
The 11th annual Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas brought together stakeholders, researchers and experts from around the state to Manhattan, Kan., Nov. 16-17, to discuss policy and research developments on water in Kansas.
Gov. Laura Kelly began the conference by touting her administration’s updated State Water Plan. The plan had not been updated since 2009, and for the first time in 15 years it is fully funded. The plan, which took bipartisan effort to craft, takes a comprehensive look at water resources in the state and lays out goals and metrics for conserving and preserving them for future Kansans.
In her second term, Kelly pledged to make water a priority.
“For decades, politicians have kicked the can down the road when it comes to finding a sustainable solution to Kansas’ water crisis,” Kelly said in her opening remarks. “Protecting our water supply will remain one of my top priorities in Topeka over the next four years. I refuse to let the can be kicked down the road any farther.”
Some of the highlights of water projects in the state, according to the Governor’s Office, include:
a water injection dredging project to remove sediment at Tuttle Creek Lake, which serves more than 800,000 Kansans
spending $70 million to expand broadband, so farmers can take advantage of irrigation technology to reduce water consumption
expanded partnerships with agriculture producers to improve production practices and water conservation efforts using local enhanced management areas (LEMAs).
Roger Pulwarty, senior scientist in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, spoke about climate and where we go from here. While it’s natural to be very focused on local issues, he reminded attendees that groundwater depletion, drought and devastating wildfires and floods have happened around the globe. It’s the data we gather and the decisions we make today that will help our future, he said.
The two-day conference touched on water quality as well as quantity issues.
Source: The Kansas Governor’s Office contributed to this article.
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